G Blues Scale (G B♭ C D♭ D F)
G blues adds a D♭ to G minor pentatonic. G B♭ C D♭ D F. The ♭5 sits between two of the scale's strongest notes, which is the whole trick of the thing in one fret.
Fretboard diagram
Every G blues note from the open strings to fret 22. At fret 12 the map starts over an octave up.
Notes in this scale
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | G |
| ♭3 | minor third | B♭ |
| 4 | perfect fourth | C |
| ♭5 | flatted fifth | D♭ |
| 5 | perfect fifth | D |
| ♭7 | minor seventh | F |
Where to land
A lead that never touches its root is an exercise. In the first twelve frets G sits on the low E string at fret 3, the A string at fret 10, the D string at fret 5, the G string open and at fret 12, the B string at fret 8, and the high E string at fret 3. End phrases on one of them until it's automatic, then start aiming for whichever chord tone the band is sitting on instead.
The D♭ is the exception to every landing rule. Bend into it, slide through it, resolve it to the D a half step up or keep falling to the fourth. Treat it as a note you visit, and keep ending phrases on G, the way every blues record you own already does.
Keep exploring
Same root
Same notes
G minor pentatonic is this scale without the ♭5.
Chords it fits over
G7 for a blues, Gm and Gm7 for everything darker.
Nearby keys
G blues FAQ
What notes are in the G blues scale?
G blues contains G, B♭, C, D♭, D, and F. That's the root, the minor third, the perfect fourth, the flatted fifth, the perfect fifth, and the minor seventh.
What fret does G blues start on?
The lowest root is G at fret 3 on the low E string, and most players anchor there. The scale itself covers the whole neck, and everything repeats twelve frets higher.
What is the blue note in the G blues scale?
D♭, the flatted fifth. It sits one fret below the perfect fifth and one above the fourth. It works as a passing note, bent into or slid through, and resolves cleanly to either neighbor.